1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed for a machine for high-speed breaking, separating, and inspection of eggs. In particular, the present invention is a machine which allows multiple rows of eggs, both egg contents and egg shells, to be inspected at the same time and in which the egg shell and contents of a particular egg are inspected adjacent one another. The invention is particularly useful for an automatic scanning device for the inspected eggs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Single-row egg breaking and separating machines are known in the prior art. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,815,055; 3,029,849; 3,082,804; 3,133,569; 3,142,322; 3,180,381; 3,185,194; 3,203,458; 3,417,798. Generally in such devices the egg shell and separated egg contents are conveyed, in a carousel-like fashion, past an egg inspection station, at which point defective, abnormal or contaminated egg contents or egg shells can be detected and the contents disposed of in a disposal bin. These devices, however, suffer from inherent limitations in the speed at which the single row of eggs can be passed through breaking, separating, inspecting and collecting stations, and are therefore not adapted for high-speed operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,906 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,139, assigned to Pelbo S.r.l., show machines for breaking and separating multiple rows of eggs and for conveying those eggs to an inspection station. In the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,139 there is an inspection station, generally over first container 180, at which an operator or inspector can dispose of any abnormal or defective egg contents 183 by actuating a release lever 133 coupled to the egg content cup 140 corresponding to the abnormal or defective shell contents 183. However, in the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,139, the egg shell and the egg contents are conveyed on separate conveyors 121, 203, such that the egg shell of an abnormal or defective egg does not travel with the egg contents 183 at the point where an operator or inspector views the egg contents for defects or abnormalities. As a result, an operator or inspector can not determine if egg contents being inspected came from an egg shell which is contaminated and which may have contaminated the egg contents either before or during shell breakage.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required that egg breaking machines allow an inspector or operator to view both the egg contents and egg shells corresponding to those contents at the same time. This requirement allows rejection of egg contents to be based not only on abnormal or defective egg contents but also on contamination of the egg shell with dirt, blood, or other contaminants which could effect the contents of the eggs either before or after breaking. As a result, the FDA has not approved the use of the multiple-row egg breaking and separating devices of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,139 because the egg shells are conveyed away from the egg contents before the inspector or operator has had the opportunity to view both for possible contamination or abnormalities.